We're back and I'm getting
the sewing room ready for the
biggest bee ever.
We've got 12 talented home sewers
ready to show off their technical
skill and creative brilliance.
These things have been in storage
for the last year.
Oh, dear, a few cobwebs on these.
Have to whip round with a duster.
Welcome to the
Great British Sewing Bee!
12 of the country's best
home sewers...
It all feels like a dream at the
moment.
I'm thinking,
"What have I done?!"
..all armed with a passion for
producing beautiful clothes.
I'm going to go nuts
in the haberdashery.
I am one of those people that
starts at ground zero
for two seconds
and then wants to build Noah's Ark.
Each week they'll face three
challenges to test their precision,
creativity and ability to fit
to a model.
Oh, I think I'll have sweat
pouring off me. I'll have to wear
extra deodorant. It's just under
pressure, isn't it?
I'll do my best not to stab you with
this needle. Just go, go, go.
Judging all, two figures at the
forefront of fashion,
pioneering menswear designer
Patrick Grant...
This year we've got more sewers and
more challenges than ever before.
It's like a marathon-length
obstacle course,
but with zips instead of
barbed wire. ..and lecturer
at the world-renowned Central Saint
Martins College, Esme Young.
What's really important
to me is detail,
even down to the colour of the
thread. I'm both daunted
and looking forward to being judged.
Esme is a super punk icon.
Who will win... Oh...
..the biggest ever...
Very, very nervous.
..Great British Sewing Bee?
I'm really, really excited
to be here.
I'm kind of holding it in right now
cos I'm jumping out of my skin.
# Isn't life wonderful?
Mmm... #
London's historic Bermondsey,
home of the Sewing Bee.
We're back!
SHE SQUEALS
Come forward, everyone.
Over the next two days, our new set
of sewers will face three challenges
in a bid to avoid an early exit
and win Garment of the Week.
Hello, g*ng. ALL: Hello.
Honestly, this is so much fun.
It's the most fun you can have
with your clothes on.
And by "on" I mean
on a mannequin being judged.
Speaking of being judged,
we have our judges with us.
The gorgeous, handsome,
talented Esme Young.
And Patrick Grant is here as well.
The first week we are going with
the comfortable and the familiar
wardrobe staples and to tell
us more about this, Esme.
Here we go.
Oh, no.
Pass these around.
So, what we've got is a wrap skirt.
The front wraps over.
You've got a waistband, you've got
two buttons and two loops.
We're leaving the fabric choice
entirely up to you.
So think carefully what weight
and type of fabric
will work for this skirt.
You have three and a half hours
for this challenge and your time
starts now.
Wow! It's really nice, obviously,
to have all these fantastic
fabrics on display.
I've seen so many nice fabrics that
I definitely have all these
different visions for,
but I need to stay focused
on the wrap skirt today.
The wrap skirt found
its way into our wardrobes
in the roaring '20s.
By 1974, it had become
the inspiration for Diane von
Furstenberg's legendary wrap dress.
Today, this versatile skirt,
with its elegant lines, remains
a firm fashion favourite.
This is a great first challenge,
I think, because whilst it might
look simple, the devil
is in the execution.
We have two fairly crucial darts
giving the shape to the back
of this skirt.
These darts need to finish
completely smoothly.
And this is a rouleau loop to pass
a button through.
It needs to line up perfectly
with the edge of the skirt.
That's the finish we're looking for.
And that's actually tricky to do.
What parts of this are also tricky?
If they choose the wrong fabric,
in a way it could be a
disaster, depending...
If it's stretchy, this edge
here will go really wobbly.
So a stretchy fabric is not
a good idea?
No. A stretchy fabric isn't
a good idea.
You won't get the crispness.
OK, guys, that's a wrap.
The sewers have a plethora of
fabrics to choose from.
Oh, it's stretchy.
It's too stretchy.
There's a nice drape to it.
I do like a bit of paisley.
Indecision.
Making the right choice is just the
start.
So I'm just... Ow! That's a pin.
..cutting out my pattern pieces.
It's not going to go wrong.
The wrap skirt is made from six
pieces.
First, darts are inserted
into the back.
Side panels are attached along with
a waistband and two rouleau loops.
Finally, buttons are added
before the front hem of the skirt
is flawlessly topstitched.
Hello, Hazel. Hello!
This is a fabulous choice, isn't it?
Yes, I'm really enjoying it.
Why did you choose this fabric?
Quite like leopard print
and cheetah print.
All things animal print, basically.
Yeah.
And I quite like the abstract,
erm, colours and the design.
Charity worker Hazel lives in
London with her husband Ashley
and son Asha.
Say thank you.
She rediscovered her love for
sewing after becoming a mum.
I did feel like I'd lost my
identity.
I didn't really know who Hazel was.
And sewing, it gives me a sense
of something that is for me.
Do you have an idea of timings for
all of this or are you just,
you just working through it?
I'm just winging it, yeah.
We'll get maybe 15 minutes out
and my hands start shaking.
I'm trying to thread the needle and
I'm like, "Aaaah..."
Shaky hands are a sewer's curse,
especially when it comes
to cutting out.
Cutting out against the clock, but
be completely accurate and get
the line absolutely as it should be.
Double-edged sword.
But one sewer is going for speed.
Had to do it with confidence and
gusto.
It might not be totally straight,
but I'm ready to get this show
going.
Edinburgh-based student and ballroom
dancer Alex has waltzed his way
to success in competitions
across Europe.
He took to sewing to make
affordable dance costumes.
I'm currently making a very,
very sparkly number, so I'm looking
forward to putting that
on the dance floor.
Hello, hello.
Morning, Alex. How are you doing?
We're doing very well.
Well, how are YOU doing?
I'm actually feeling quite relaxed.
I'm steaming through this,
literally.
This is your waistband.
I would keep this a little,
in a little better shape than that.
OK, fair enough. Are you generally a
fairly tidy sewer, would you say or
a less tidy?
I would, I would like to ask
you guys that question.
We'll tell you later.
Alex may be taking the gung-h*
approach, but others
are being a little more cautious.
This is quite nerve-racking for me.
I'm a bit concerned that I'm going
quite slowly, so I'm trying to speed
up a little bit.
Motorcycle-mad Liz
lives in Middlesbrough.
She sews bespoke outfits
to suit her unique taste.
My style is a little bit punky,
alt-y
noughties, skater-type person.
This is fabulous. Yes.
They're like tattoos.
Yeah. Quite reflective of me.
I haven't got any.
You haven't got any?
I was thinking about getting one on
my stomach. What would you get?
Anton du Beke.
Liz isn't the only sewer
to have found a fabric close
to their heart.
When I choose fabric
for a pattern, it tends
to speak to me.
It'll be like, "That's the one."
Youth hostel manager Peter
lives in Brighton.
A self-declared fashion rebel,
he embraces everything from the boho
streets to the high-end catwalk.
There's a few designers that
I have a lot of sort
of reference for, particularly
Vivienne Westwood.
I like to think of my clothing
as a bit left of centre.
This is the sewing fez.
Can I try
on the sewing fez? Course you can.
You're inspired by Westwood,
aren't you?
In a big way.
Vivienne or Tim?
Vivienne more.
HE LAUGHS
Tim's my idol actually.
While Peter's headed westward,
for one sewer,
it could already be going south.
Oh, la la, Nicole, what have you
given us here?
Have you used fabric like this
before? It's got stretch in.
I've used stretch fabrics before,
but heavier weight, so not
quite as flimsy as this.
OK. It was the first fabric choice
I gravitated to because I love
anything metallic and shiny.
Lover of all that sparkles,
Nicole lives in London.
She left a job in marketing
to become a jewellery maker.
I just love things that are laced
with metallics.
If it's got any kind of gold
in it, I'm sold.
Have you tried sewing any of it
or are you just going to cut it all
out and see how it goes?
I'm just going to go for it,
that's... OK. Very brave.
I mean, it's a dashing choice.
I'm looking forward to seeing
how it ends up.
Thank you. Me too. Thank you.
Right. "Mark your darts on back
skirt.
"Pin and sew." There's excess
fabric over your hip.
So just take it in and give you
a bit of shaping.
You add this dart.
I am ready to bust some grooves.
First stitch.
It would have been the first stitch
of the bee, had the thread decided
to stay in place.
SHE LAUGHS
Well-placed darts are the foundation
of a tailored garment.
If the skirt's to sit neatly
on the waist, they must be sewn
in a perfectly straight line.
Just needs a bit of pressure
before it tries to make a mind
of its own. And then boom,
that's the dart done.
You've got two darts in the middle.
No! But the stretchier
the fabric, the harder
this is to achieve. It's actually a
lot slippier than I thought.
Oh, my God.
Nicole may have a
battle on her hands,
but over at Angillia's,
it's an oasis of calm.
When I am in need of a little perk,
I look across at that picture.
I would like to be on a holiday
there somewhere right now.
Retired teacher turned Reiki healer,
Angillia lives in Watford
and she hopes to bring a touch
of Zen to the sewing room.
My fabric reminds me of where
I can be calm and peaceful
because I like the sound of water.
Sewers, you have one hour remaining.
Don't panic. They should panic.
"Pin then sew the left front piece
to the back skirt panel."
It's all in panels, so I'll be
stitching them together, so,
to create the wrap effect.
The skirt's wrap is created by two
front pieces that are attached
to the back.
So I need to just refresh myself
with which one is the left front.
Placed correctly,
they'll create the iconic angled
front hem.
This is the a ultimate test
of constructing it all together.
Get the pieces mixed up, and the
wrap will slope the wrong way.
This is my right-hand side seam.
Assuming, that is, I've got my
rights and my lefts
the right way round.
Left front, fingers crossed.
Done.
WOLF WHISTLE
I know, I know, little bit of leg.
Oh, my God, you're a bit bigger than
the mannequin... Oh, my God.
..it has to be said.
Thanks for that.
That's all good. Actually,
is that right?
SHE GASPS
No! It's not right.
I have to unpick.
I've sewn the left front to the
right side by accident.
Not right. Sewed the wrong side on.
Oh, no! That's lost me some time.
Time might be at the forefront
of Liz's mind, but it's not
a concern for everyone.
Do you know, I haven't paid
attention to the clock.
I haven't even checked.
No, I was the naughty schoolgirl.
I was the one talking
at the back of the class.
Fiona lives near Glasgow.
She combines her passion for sewing
with a love of exercise
and makes her own swimsuits
and leggings.
Have you looked on the other side of
the room? I haven't actually paid
attention to anybody else. No.
Where? Therese.
Exactly the same fabric.
Oh, right. It's a competition, then.
So it's the battle of the
embroidered chambrays.
OK. Fiona's done exactly
the same as I have, same fabric.
She has such excellent taste.
Home tutor and grandmother Therese
lives in East Sussex
and she's more than partial
to a floral print.
My daughters once said to me, "Mum,
you dress like a sofa and you talk
"like the Queen. You're a bit like
Kirstie Allsopp, aren't you?"
Bit anxious.
This is marathon sewing.
We'll see.
See how it comes together.
30 minutes remaining, sewers!
Eugh. The skirts may be taking
shape... It's good.
..but now the challenge is making
them stay on.
The next part that I'm dreading
slightly is now doing the
rouleau loops.
The button loops are made from tiny
tubes of fabric called rouleaus.
Using a rouleau turner, pull
through your loops.
And the first
hurdle is turning them through.
You pull it through to encase
the raw edges. A lot of sewing
is inside out and backwards.
Fat, shaky fingers.
Yeah, that's also not helping.
Yes!
Hairgrip and teeth! Yep.
Easy as...
..I don't know.
Cooking.
Your waistband holds the rouleau
loop in position.
The fabric is pulling this
rouleau loop.
I'm just using my hands to...
..coax it along.
Wow, that's my blood. Ignore that.
I was using a hand needle
and I just pricked my finger
and I didn't notice.
So, pitfalls of white fabric.
While Peter's spilt blood
to finish his rouleaus,
one sewer's yet to complete theirs.
Just unpicked it because I think it
is a little bit too thin
and I'll just redo that again.
Ten minutes to go, sewers,
ten minutes.
Oh, gosh.
The skirt and I have come
to an understanding.
We both agreed that we'd finish.
I'm sewing on the buttons.
I don't think I'm going to
get the buttons on.
Can I grab some for you? Green or
orange. See you soon. Thank you.
Come on!
I'm concerned about the waistband
because, obviously,
I was redoing my rouleau loops.
One minute, sewers!
Oh! Mannequins! Speed, speed, speed.
OK. The button,
I did it on the wrong side.
Oh, no!
Stressed.
Oh, my giddy aunt. Messy.
Deep breath.
Needles up.
That is your time.
Your wrap battle is over.
Bring your midi wraps forward.
Right, I'm going to lift this.
Great choice of button.
choice of button, I'd say.
SHE LAUGHS
Very good
# A casual look
Dut da da da da da dut da dut
# A little wink... #
12 wrap skirts made in just
three and a half hours.
And 12 sewers ready for the first
judging of this year's Sewing Bee.
What are your initial impressions?
I'm very impressed.
A joy to behold.
Peter, you're up.
I love this fabric.
I think it's fabulous.
I think it's really sharp,
very modern-looking.
You obviously like a head.
You know, I evidently,
subconsciously, I like a face.
The waistband is neatly sewn.
MANNEQUIN SQUEAKS LOUDLY
The rouleau is good.
It looks really sharp.
Look. Don't you think?
Sorry, every time you do that,
it sounds like you're farting!
I am, actually!
LAUGHTER
Oh, did you stick a pin in
your finger?
Yes.
You've done a contrasting black
topstitching thread,
which is very brave and actually
very sharply sewn.
Overall, I think this is
absolutely smashing. Thank you.
I love this paisley. The colour
does work very well.
I've just noticed your shoes.
Did you very quickly just remodel
your shoes to match your skirt?
Extra marks for that, for sure.
The rouleau loop's very well
anchored. Well done.
The darts are very good.
And I love that fabric. Thank you.
Obviously a good choice of fabric.
We've said that already, it's the
same fabric. We've seen it before.
But I think you've stretched
it slightly.
I think that was Patrick just now.
Of course it was!
LAUGHTER
One single thread holding these
edges of the button.
But they are on.
I mean, it's finished.
Good. Thank you.
The big obvious mistake
here is that your wrap goes
the wrong way.
Yeah. We can fix that.
I've a feeling you've just
had a last minute panic... Yeah.
..and sewn your buttons on the wrong
side of the waistband.
Maybe you need to take more time.
Yep.
Good choice of fabric.
I think the weight's worked well.
Your topstitching's nice and neat.
I think you chose a good colour
for the rouleaus and the button.
Well done.
I like the fact you've used
orange buttons but...
..on this side, they're different.
Could you not find a pair?
That's my fault.
I panicked, Patrick,
and I'm really sorry.
Absolutely love your fabric choice.
It really reflects you.
But that loop is not terrifically
secure.
Oh, no! Yes. You've caught
it with the scissors.
This is shorter than that. Mm.
Yeah, this bottom hem is just
meandering.
Ah! The skirt doesn't go to the end
of the waistband.
Looked at everyone else's, and I
thought, that's wrong, Hazel.
Right, Nicole.
I think you chose the wrong fabric.
Can you see how it's puckering here?
Mm-hm.
It's great from afar, but it's far
from great.
The problem is it's hard to
get a crisp, neat finish.
And so you're not able to put
a sharp crease in the top
of the waistband.
I still stand by it.
I take your point.
It just doesn't hem very well.
And that's what's let it down.
Esme and Patrick will now rank the
wrap skirts from worst to best.
Right.
12th place is Nicole.
You chose the wrong fabric.
In 11th place, Hazel.
Uneven at the top of
that waistband.
In tenth place is Alex.
You wrapped it the wrong way. Yep.
In ninth is Clare.
Matt's eighth.
Angillia's seventh.
Liz is sixth. Mark's fifth.
Fiona's fourth.
And Ali is third. Right.
In second place is...
..Therese.
Really, really nicely sewn,
well done.
Which means in first place,
it's Peter!
Thank you, thank you.
So worth spilling a little blood
over! Congratulations.
Beautiful sewing.
EVERYONE CHATS
Happy.
Happy, happy, happy.
I didn't think I would have done
that well, fresh out the gate.
I got the buttons on the wrong way
round and then, obviously, the
wrap was on the wrong way round.
So it was just a wrap disaster,
basically.
The one big lesson that I
just learned from doing
the Pattern Challenge is to rein
in the riskiness a little bit.
So for me, the Transformation
Challenge is the opportunity for me
to just let rip.
The Sewing Bee isn't about to get
any easier.
For the second challenge each week,
the sewers must throw out
the rule book and show off their
creative flair.
It is time for the Transformation
Challenge, where we take something
old and turn it into something new,
kind of like my Auntie Pat
does with husbands.
It is, of course, the humble
man's office shirt, a staple
of many a wardrobe.
We want you to transform it
into a single woman's garment.
Could be a skirt or a dress.
But we want a total, radical
transformation.
We're going to send Patrick
and Esme away now.
One, so they don't know whose
is whose.
And two, to stop you guys
from stripping Patrick down
for extra material.
Off you go.
You have a rail of men's
shirts there.
My father is at home bare-chested
and very confused.
You have 90 minutes.
Your time starts now.
# I've got a striped purple shirt
and a pair of yellow... #
Wow! The sewers must choose two
men's office shirts to transform
into a striking woman's garment.
I love the creative element
that this challenge brings,
so bring it on.
I'm going to go full-on.
This isn't something that comes
natural to me.
I would honestly say this is
probably my worst nightmare.
# With me striped purple shirt
and me pair of yellow braces
# I'm the smartest layabout
you've ever seen. #
We've asked them to transform these
simple, ordinary office shirts.
For me, I want to see them, you
know, abandon all their normal kind
of fears and constraints and just
have a really good go at it.
This is good stuff to sew with.
It'll take a really nice pleat.
You can fold it.
You can gather it.
You can do all sorts with it.
What actually I'd like to see
is how they displace things,
so they could use these as a tie.
So it gives the shirt more life,
more vivacity.
Is that a word?
That's a good word.
Let's go, let's go, let's go.
Never in my life have I ever
taken a shirt and turned it into
anything else.
This is a new kind of experience.
I feel really brave.
I'm just going to
take my first slice.
Ooh!
I'm not 100% sure what I'm doing.
Transformations might be new ground
for some,
but for Matt it's second nature.
So the sketches here are for
different drag queens
I've made stuff for.
MUSIC: Heart of Glass
by Blondie
Matt lives
in London and he's been appointed
drag designer in chief
by his partner Greg, otherwise known
as Miss Martini. There we are.
It's proved a handy outlet
for his inner love of glam.
Making stuff for Miss Martini
is great, but she always
wants it tighter.
What are you trying to make? I'm
doing a kind of skirt.
The waistband is made out of
the cuffs.
Do you do this sort of thing often?
I suppose making drag outfits...
I imagine when you look at any men's
clothing, you think, how can I shove
some boobs in there?
All the time! All the time.
I don't frequently alter garments.
I have done a little bit, erm,
more of a kind
of challenge to myself.
I recently turned a cashmere
cardigan into a pair of pumps,
as an experiment.
Clare can often be found cycling
the lanes of Winchester
on her antique bike.
I like sort of 1940s secretary
style.
A lot of tweed, sort of the young
Miss Marple.
I'm making a nice, maybe short
dress,
maybe a halterneck top, like a sun
dress kind of thing.
It's a little bustier top.
It would come down in the middle.
So it kind of goes round
over the top of your boobs.
I am going to be making a
kilt-style skirt.
So I kind of want to pay homage
to where I study in Edinburgh.
Would you wear something like this?
I feel like a banker who's made
a bad deal and someone's
really kicked off about it.
Shirts are the bane of my life,
I suppose, because every week
I have to iron at least four, if
not five, of the little devils.
Yeah, liberating,
cutting up a shirt.
Come on through.
Mark lives in Kenilworth, where he
works as a high-street banker,
and sewing provides a perfect
break from the nine to five.
Charity days at work where we can
wear our own clothes,
I'll try to shoehorn in something
that I've made for myself,
if I possibly can.
I'm hoping it's going to be a dress.
I've got a green shirt.
I'm going to use it as a green bit
down here somewhere, like that.
Mark's not the only sewer
going for a colour combo.
I'm making a skirt with panels,
two beige and one pink.
I am enjoying it.
This is how calm I look when I,
erm, deliver babies.
Bradford-based Ali is a paramedic
and she knows laughter
is the best medicine.
I once joked to my boss
that I should get more money
because I don't have to give people
as many drugs as some of us
cos I can make them feel
better without.
Do you think that would be good
for stemming blood flow?
Well, if it's all you had handy
before the ambulance got here,
I'm sure.
Yeah. I'm a bit worried cos some of
these lot with the scissors are a
bit... I know.
Sewers, you've got half your time
left.
How am I feeling about us being
halfway through? Kind of panicky.
What are you doing?
I'm making a halterneck dress.
Uh-huh. I went for something
simpler.
Even those taking a simple approach
can use the haberdashery
to embellish their garments.
I've got a lovely skirt
with a bit of ostrich feather.
Imagine it wafting.
A little tickle across your knee.
Oh, that's good, isn't it?
I've chosen to make a sun top.
And I'm putting some bias
binding on it.
And when it comes to trimmings, one
sewer's going all out.
So I've kept
the shirt choice quite basic.
I wanted the trims
to really be the standout.
I've gone with a very kind
of Peruvian inspiration,
so I've chosen some really bright
colours, going for it big style.
Nicole might have taken
everything but the kitchen sink,
but Hazel's kept the cutlery.
Trying to make a skirt.
Got a fork. A fork? Yes.
So you use the fork and twist it
round, and that gives you pleats.
I like to find some hacks and I
did it.
And I said make a skirt
with a fork and you're in.
Yeah, yeah. I've got a fork.
I want a skirt.
That's literally what I did and now
I just need to...
It's really, it works though,
doesn't it? Look at that. It does.
When it comes to being innovative,
Peter is pushing
things even further.
It's a dress.
I quite like the mild insanity
of draping, just tearing it apart
and flipping it around on itself.
I quite like things that don't
necessarily look like clothes.
But not everyone's being quite
so experimental.
I have decided to make a shirt.
So that's the, that's the main
body of it.
I am trying to avoid making
new seams.
Do you do this sort of thing at
home? Generally speaking, no.
So this is a slightly out
of your comfort zone?
It's definitely out of my
comfort zone.
I've always wanted to do this.
You've got half an hour left.
Whoo! They did ask for something
radical.
I won't really know how this looks
until I pull it off the machine.
It might look absolutely horrendous.
I am panicking.
Cos I've got to get this zip in.
The zipper is going to be my
making moment, ladies and gentlemen.
Let's do this.
I wanted a contrasting frill.
It's not that difficult.
Hotfooting it...
..to the finish line.
Let's go, let's go, let's go.
Going to bias bind the armholes
now.
Oh, blast.
You can do it! Oh, my goodness.
I sewed the zip the
wrong way round.
Can't get this on the mannequin.
Oh! Do you mind me pulling it?
THUD
Ooh! Did anything rip them?
I don't know. No, I think
you're fine.
Well done. Thank you, Joe.
Oh, I ripped it.
Oh, no, disaster.
I've lost the top bit.
Ah, that was the arm.
Yes!
Right.
How long have we got? Three minutes.
Can you make it? Nope.
Zip in.
Not enjoying this at all.
Come on, last two seconds.
Stressed now. Feather fell out.
It's all going mad.
Needles up! That is your time.
Bring your transformations
forward.
You pin as you move.
MUSIC: Handbags And Gladrags
by Rod Stewart
12 office shirt transformations
in just 90 minutes.
Patrick and Esme have no
idea whose is whose.
Wow, look at those. Oh!
Great.
Right. Skirt with an
elasticated waistband.
And a lot of decoration.
I think the decoration's really
effective. I know, I like it.
We've got two different kind
of braids. Yes.
We've got a couple of rickracks
and a little pink one in between.
They work really nicely together.
Yes.
I like it a lot.
Here we have a dress.
A seam, it's a halter neck.
We've got a drape. I think there's
a lot of clever detail in it. Yes.
Right.
Sleeveless tunic, they've bound
the edges of the armholes, bound
the neckline, made the bow.
I think it's great.
Yeah.
And now we've got an A-line
miniskirt.
This is nice, how they've used these
colours. There's a lot of sewing
in a very short space of time. Yeah.
So what we've got here is a corset.
It's pretty well ex*cuted.
There's a lot of pattern pieces
have been pulled together.
I think it's really effective.
I like it a lot, actually.
This is intriguing because,
look, they've used the cuff.
I like that. Darts here.
Seam here.
I think that's quite cute.
Another skirt.
I'm not mad on feathers.
Maybe it was a second thought.
Well, this is a bold
old transformation.
I mean, there's all sorts.
You think this zip works?
Let's see.
Yes!
I love how what they've done is
they've just taken the shirt
and they've kept so many elements
but turned it into something else.
So, a skirt.
Oh, look, pleats.
I like the pleats. This is quite
saucy.
It's very saucy.
And I don't mind the sauciness.
It's a bold attempt. Definitely
nothing like an original shirt.
A skirt. Oh, look what I found.
The zip's inside out.
The zip must deliberately
be inside out. Of course.
Right.
All that's happened here is
the collar has been chopped off.
And the sleeves. The sleeves have
been chopped off.
They've not reshaped it
for the female mannequin.
It is still a man's shirt shape.
It's a minidress.
I have a confession with this one.
Have you?
I might have helped break it.
THEY LAUGH
So this Lycett event is not
a feature that was intended?
Not necessarily, no.
It might be really difficult
to get on.
That's because it only opens
to there.
The judges must now rank
the garments from worst to best.
We're enormously impressed
with all of them, but one of them
has to come in 12th place
and that garment
is the frilled tunic.
Angillia, it just needed a little
bit bolder ambition.
And I think that's what
we'd like to see next time.
In 11th is the one with
the green overskirt.
Mark. It hasn't quite worked,
has it?
Because you can't get it on the
body.
Fiona's tenth.
Alex, ninth.
Therese is eighth.
Ali, seventh.
Hazel, sixth.
Liz, fifth.
Matt's fourth.
And Clare is third.
In second place...
..is the fringed skirt.
Nicole.
From last place to second.
What a day.
It's a fantastic transformation.
I think it's a very cool-looking
garment. Very well done.
Thank you.
I wonder what's in first place.
Oh!
I think a big round of applause
for Peter.
Did you drape it on the stand?
Completely, yeah. It's brilliant.
Well done. Thank you.
Clearly, it didn't go as well
as I thought it...
I can see that.
I need to step it up a bit.
I'm over the moon.
Just unbelievably chuffed.
Didn't expect to win that one at
all.
Day one is over.
It was pretty gruelling.
Lots of up and downs.
One thing I've learned from today is
you have no idea what the judges
are going to say.
# Yes, it's a good day
for singing a song
# And it's a good day... #
One challenge remains, one
last chance for the sewers
to secure their place
in the sewing room.
# And a good day from morning
till night. #
Well, I must say, even though
you're brutal, it's nice to be back
with Mummy and Daddy.
So what kind of day has Peter had?
A fabulous day.
I loved, loved, loved his
Transformation Challenge.
And I thought his skirt
was absolutely fabulous.
OK.
The bit I hate, who's in danger?
Angillia, the transformation
didn't fit and function.
And Alex, the skirt was rushed.
It just looked rushed.
And, you know, the Transformation
Challenge lacked a bit of finesse.
Most important question -
who's got the best beard?
Oh. Yes. Well, we have got something
of a beard-off, haven't we?
I'm not in the running.
At the moment, Peter's winning.
He's winning everything. Yeah!
Each week for the final challenge,
the mannequins are replaced.
Hey. Hello!
Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.
And the sewers must make for a
model.
What's your name? Mark. Rosie.
So exciting. Yeah. So cool.
I hope that what I make fits you.
I hope I get it finished.
How's it going? Really well. Wow!
Really, really well for me.
Really?
Welcome back, sewers.
It's made-to-measure time and
welcome to our real life models.
Remember, sewers, they're very
different to mannequins.
If you put a pin in one of these,
you'll know about it.
So, today, as we are doing wardrobe
staples, Patrick and Esme
would like you to make a lovely
tea dress.
You have five hours for this
challenge and your time starts now.
Right, tape measure.
Tea dresses came to prominence in
the '40s.
They combined a modest neckline and
length
with an understated elegance -
casual enough to be worn in the day,
but chic enough
for entertaining at night.
Just the name, tea dress, you think
of garden parties
with the Queen.
Floral.
In the '90s, tea dresses were quite
"in".
But you wore them with, like, big
boots.
I remember it with fondness.
Now, I've heard of teabags,
tea chests, Mr T.
Hello, if you're watching.
What's a tea dress?
A tea dress finishes below the knee
and above the ankle.
When you say tea dress,
I think of the '40s and I think of
people going to hotels,
wearing a special dress for
dancing in.
They were tea dances.
But, for me, it would be interesting
if they make it modern,
with fabric, fastenings.
I mean, it's absolutely up to them.
So, where could this fall apart,
literally and metaphorically?
This is a challenge that's all about
fitting.
All of their models are different
shapes and sizes.
Getting it right so that it looks
like it's just skimming the body,
but not too tight, not too loose -
I think that is really an art.
The sewers have all had a chance
to practise at home,
but now they must adjust their
patterns to fit their models.
Check there.
I haven't done much fitting direct
to models.
A little bit new to me.
A little bit new?
Yeah. Working with the models.
While it's new territory for some,
for Matt, making for models is
his raison d'etre.
I'm used to fitting outfits to
friends
or drag queen performers and that.
So, yeah, hopefully this will
go as well.
Matt's making a complete departure
from his usual,
more flamboyant projects.
His Prim & Proper tea dress will
feature a subtle
Peter Pan collar, bow and belt.
You make quite a few dresses,
don't you? Yes, I do.
So you should be pretty comfortable
with this?
Hopefully, but it's a little bit
more conservative
than what I normally make.
Look at my photos. Drag queens.
HE LAUGHS
While Matt makes his first foray
into vintage wear,
for Clare, it's all she knows.
I wear a lot of '40s and '50s
dresses.
I've had this pattern in my pile
of things I'd like to make
for a while, so it's good to be
able to give it a whirl.
Clare's period-precise tea dress
will feature a mix
of block colour and 1940s floral
fabric.
This is my friend.
We dress up as 1940s ladies and...
Yeah, so you've got a real passion
for this.
I go to vintage events. Er...
That sounds normal.
Completely normal.
Lots of gin.
JOE LAUGHS
Clare might be living in the past,
but one sewer's determined to bring
the tea dress bang up to date.
Good morning, Peter.
Good morning.
I'll have to tiptoe my way through
the melee.
It's rather colourful.
So, yeah, that's no understatement.
Ladies that lunch, going
to a garden party.
That's not very me.
I wanted to sort of try and mix
the two worlds -
that sort of Audrey Hepburn
Roman Holiday
with sort of festival-going.
Peter's hoping his Festival dress,
featuring short cap sleeves
and a shawl-style collar, will seal
the hat-trick.
I mean, it is an absolutely kind
of bonkers print, isn't it?
I'm first or last year on this one.
Yeah, it's going to go one of two
ways.
I sat there thinking, I was like,
"They're either going to love it or
just hate it."
Isn't this fab?!
It's good, isn't it?
I literally want to take it away
from you.
God, this would be a great way to
enter a g*y wedding, wouldn't it?
Mark's tea dress will evoke the
spirit of the Swinging Sixties
with its billowing skirt, complete
with pockets and bell sleeves.
I've got rather large floaty
sleeves.
I do have the pattern piece here,
but all these bits,
they'll all be folded over.
So when you get the final one it'll
have this lovely floaty sleeve.
While Mark's headed for Carnaby
Street,
Nicole's off to the Caribbean.
I was born and grew up in Trinidad.
Trinidad actually has quite a
vibrant fabric shopping market
in downtown Port of Spain.
With her Trinidadian fabric,
Nicole's giving her tea dress a
touch of
Caribbean carnival magic.
The focal point will be an ornate
waist tie,
and, true to form, she's giving it a
bit of bling.
Have we got any sparkle?
NICOLE LAUGHS
We do!
I can see something in a bag here.
We do!
Of course.
Yes.
And where's the sparkle going?
So, this is the tassel trim I'm
using
down the front bands and
neck bands,
and on the sleeve cuff as well.
OK, OK.
It's a very modern-looking take on
that traditional tea dress pattern.
Great, best of luck!
Thank you. Thank you.
So I put some boiling water down by
the back door
and apparently they won't come back.
Hang on one second.
Sewers, you've had one hour!
Excited to now be actually sewing.
Tee dresses are constructed from
upwards of ten individual pieces.
Try not to worry.
I think it's just confidence
in what I'm doing.
I'm now just putting the skirt
pieces together
with the stealth of a lynx.
Watch this space.
When it comes to the skirt,
some of the sewers have complicated
matters even further.
The skirt pattern has an extra
large ruffle.
If you pull up the threads
on the edge,
it starts to gather the fabric.
The thing is, you'd want to gather
the fabric very slowly
and very carefully.
The complex, sculptured hem of
Fiona's tea dress
will be enhanced by her '90s
abstract floral print.
Is this your colour?
Are these your colours?
I feel like this is the sort of
thing that Gloria Hunniford
would wear after paintballing.
And I think she'd look beautiful
in it.
She would look lovely.
Fiona's not the only sewer making
good use
of the gather.
On the hip, there is some gathering,
and across the bust
there is also some gathering,
again to emphasise what needs to be
emphasised.
After a disappointing
Transformation,
Angillia's going all out with
intricate gathers -
not only across the skirt, but also
across the bodice.
I think this is incredibly elegant.
I hate to worry you, but have you
thought about the timing
for all of this?
I am kicking myself into...
ANGILLIA LAUGHS
Into gear?
Today, yes, most definitely.
Angillia isn't the only sewer
taking a risk
to keep their place in the
sewing room.
What's that fabric?
It's double gauze.
It's pretty sort of bouncy. Is that
quite difficult to sew with?
A little.
But I'm approaching this in the same
way
as I'm making a costume for my
dance partner.
Alex is harnessing his knack for
sewing with stretch
in a ballroom-dance-inspired
tea dress,
featuring cold shoulder sleeves
and a split-front skirt.
Teach me a move.
Oh, God.
How do I do it? Thank you.
Well, I would just say, you just do
a drop.
And then, I'm guessing, like
a little wiggle.
Hello, girls!
I actually do feel like I've pulled
my back.
Oh, so you've got your gas and
electric down. That's...
Oh, hang on one second.
You've got half your time, sirs.
Half your time.
Get a move on, Angillia.
Under pressure.
While Angillia battles with
the gathers on her skirt,
the rest of the sewers move on to
the bodice.
There's a little bit of gathering
here to provide some shaping
over the bust.
No-one wants puckered cleavage,
do they?
To avoid a puckered cleavage,
or anything else,
it's crucial they fit as they go.
Trickiest bit was just getting this
just right.
The contrasting pink spot. I wanted
to make sure that
was nice and neat and pretty.
Ali's tea dress will evoke the feel
of a country fair
and will feature a buttoned-down
polka dot placket
and a handkerchief hem.
It'll have two points at the front
and two at the back.
If you laid it out, it would
have four corners.
Like a handkerchief.
I'm imagining that's where they
get the name from.
You all finished, then?
All done?
All done.
Looks good!
Ready to go?
The colours work so well together.
That's some Ankara fabric.
Hazel's take on a tea dress will
make a bold feature
of her African wax print
that she'll reprise on the
pleated hem.
I'm still not sure about
the neckline.
I feel like I should be, like, a
little bit more risque.
I think that's probably saucy...
I feel like it's OK.
You never know with Esme.
She loves sauce, Esme.
Hazel isn't the only sewer concerned
for her model's modesty.
The fabric is a little bit
see-through.
Can you see that?
So, by putting lining on it, it
stops...
Because a lady doesn't want to
wear a see-through dress.
Therese's lining will help to add
body to her '50s-style skirt,
which she'll contrast with a
close-fitted sleeveless bodice.
The lining and the dress will come,
hopefully, together properly.
But we'll see. We'll see.
This is one thing that I find
particularly challenging.
Rouleau loops.
This fabric is so skinny,
I'm worried it's actually just going
to pull a hole in it.
SHE GASPS
Done it!
Magic!
That's so cool!
Liz is using her rouleau ties to
create the look of a '90s
fit and flare dress.
It'll feature a double split
front skirt and buttons.
I did have several sort of maxi
dresses
that were in this ditsy
sort of print.
Obviously black.
Sewers, you have one hour remaining!
Oh, sugar!
Fitting. Fingers crossed!
Patrick and Esme are expecting
perfectly tailored tea dresses.
Good. It's the right size.
HE LAUGHS
But not all the fittings are going
according to plan.
The stupidest mistake.
The midriff is just a touch tight
so, where we've got this space,
I need to add a little panel
to the bodice.
Esme and Patrick are going to
notice it.
It's their job. It's what they do.
They're going to notice that this
isn't right.
Peter, who so far has been a
fabulous sewer,
he made it too small.
He's had to put extra panels at the
back.
I'm going to be fascinated how that
looks.
It's not exactly what I was wanting.
Wow.
I wanted it to sit on the body.
Alex's fabric, I think he's
stretched it a little bit.
It's easy to pull out of shape.
Nicole, these pompoms, I'm not sure
about it.
Maybe you'll change your mind.
Maybe I will.
Maybe you won't.
How did I manage that? The back
is too long.
I'm going to have to adjust it.
OK.
Angillia, it looks loose
around the back.
She's taking her time.
Do you think that might
be a problem?
I think it definitely could be.
While Angillia's forced to fix her
mistake...
Buttons, buttons.
..the rest of the sewers move on to
the finishing touches.
Belt. I'm hopefully on target.
As long as nothing goes wrong.
I feel like I'm working
for Formula 1.
Yeah, it is a bit like that,
isn't it?
This is the panel you can see,
this contrasting bit
that doesn't fit with the rest
of it.
But there we go.
It's either that or skin.
My zip has slightly eaten my fabric.
Come on, you beast!
It's resolved, but sleeves not in.
I'm disappointed.
The ruffle is longer than
I anticipated.
It's gone so horribly wrong.
Ten minutes, sewers!
Wow!
You should be getting your models
dressed now.
I just want to finish it!
Let's go, let's go, let's go!
You really need to be getting it on
your model...
Two minutes. Two minutes, we can do
this.
Oh, damn it!
What's wrong?
It's a little seam that's popped
open.
How much time we got?
Anyone? Time?
Five minutes!
Now, where was the hole?
Oh, sugar!
I'm not going to stab you,
don't worry.
Disappointed with the ruffle.
Ah!
Come, come, come!
Three buttons to put on.
Welcome to the drama corner.
It's all going to look great.
And then it doesn't.
What a shame we didn't get
the sleeves in.
Stressed now.
Needles up, that is your time!
You have done your first
Made-to-measure Challenge.
Congratulations, everyone!
Oh, my.
You like?
# One o'clock, two o'clock, three
o'clock, four o'clock
# Tea time!
12 tea dresses, made to measure
in just five hours.
# Any old time is tea time now
# Morning, noon or night
# For you make good friends and
you don't need wealth
# Raise your cup and say
Good health!
# Any time is tea time
# Yes, any old time is tea time now
# Two o'clock, three o'clock,
four o'clock
# Tea time! #
I love the combination of fabric.
It's the same print, but this looks
really strong, as that does.
You've pitched it just right.
Those little geometric prints,
I think it just brings it
to the right side of modernity
without overwhelming it.
There's a lot of very precise sewing
going on -
the seam, right across the centre
of the bust.
I mean, the overall impression
is delicate and bouncy
and chic and modern,
but with that nod to the past.
I mean, there's not much more good
I think I can say about it.
I think it's fantastic.
Thank you.
Yeah, it looks really good.
I think it's lovely.
I can imagine this kind of elegantly
wafting through a garden party
in the summer with Pimm's
and strawberries,
and I like it an awful lot.
Because you've lined it, I mean,
it really looks kind of pristine.
The shape of the skirt is great.
I really like your choice of fabric.
This placket and the collar really
work with this print.
The fit's terrific.
I like this angled high-low hem,
the little point of difference.
Well done.
Thank you.
I mean, obviously it's a very bold
colour, very summery.
It feels very "tea dress".
I like that you've matched the
buttons to the glitter.
Well done.
Thank you very much.
# Wish me luck
# As you wave me goodbye
# Cheerio, here I go on my way...
This dress is you, isn't it?
Yep.
This shape, because this back comes
round to the front,
it's really flattering.
The neckline's beautifully centred,
requires a great deal of precision.
And you've got that right.
You can be pleased with that.
Thank you.
# Til we meet once again, you and I
# Wish me luck as you wave me
goodbye...
I love the sleeves -
really statement.
This is really strong and bold.
I just love a pocket, I have to say.
Look at me with my pockets.
# Wish me luck as you wave me
goodbye. #
I like it.
I really like it. It's a great
choice of fabric, actually.
You know, it moves very nicely.
It doesn't look like it's pinching
anywhere.
I think the colour combination and
those tassels
feels somehow very Caribbean to me.
Do you know what?
I was really worried about
these pompoms.
But, actually, I think it's really,
really worked with the pompoms.
I think you've done a really good
job.
Are you happy, Nicole?
Ecstatic.
Great!
THEY LAUGH
# Put on my dress
# I'm going out dancing
# If you put it on
# If you put it on. #
The style of this dress, it is that
kind of grungy era.
You know, wearing an old dress with
a pair of boots,
and it really works.
It's actually quite hard to make a
long rouleau
so I think you've done well.
Thank you.
# When you move in right up
close to me...
# That's when I get the shakes all
over me...
# Shakin' all over... #
I think that feels perfectly
tea dressy -
that neckline.
And I do actually really like
the fabric -
very eye-catching.
Can I turn you around?
There was a slight fitting issue.
Was that what it was?
That was the repairing of it.
Yes.
I have to say, it does jump out at
you.
You made quite a big error there.
Well, you cannot win them all.
The print has a kind of quirkiness.
It's almost like it's been painted.
We've got an issue here.
You know, this frill, you've not
managed to completely attach it.
Another five minutes -
you'd have nailed it.
Thank you.
There's a lot of intricate sewing.
You're very close to a
fabulous-looking gown,
but I think there's just one or two
areas where it's just failing
to hit the mark.
It doesn't have a sleeve,
and it would have been fine
without a sleeve, but obviously
it needs to be finished
around the armhole.
I agree with Patrick.
Honestly, it is a shame that you
didn't get the sleeves on.
But I do love the fabric,
and it's a very glamorous dress,
actually.
I've never seen a dress quite like
this.
At the back - very sort of 1920s
feel.
But then this feels like, you know,
almost sort of '70s era.
There are so many bits going in
different directions.
It's unusual, that kind of ripple.
It does look quite bouncy.
It looks heavier than it is,
somehow,
and I think part of what a tea dress
needs to do is feel light.
You haven't finished the sleeves.
I wanted to leave it raw, kind
of a mixture between
a bit of structured and a little bit
of, like, free, softer...
A bit more free.
I think you're making that up.
Gosh, she's got you there.
OK.
I am definitely on the chopping
block,
which I think is a massive shame
because this is only the start
point.
This is ground one.
This is kind of the
worst case scenario.
I can only be hopeful that my place
in the Sewing Bee will continue.
At this point in time, if you were
going to give me 100,000
or the opportunity to go forward,
I'd take the opportunity to go
forward.
Well, we did it.
We got through the first week.
Congratulations.
We have two things to do.
Let's start with the nice one.
Patrick?
Our Garment Of The Week
this week is...
APPLAUSE
It is, of course, Matt's perfection
in tea dress.
Well done.
Thank you. Thank you.
Wow.
Now for the not so nice bit.
We have to send someone home, and,
the person who's going home,
to get here is an amazing
achievement.
But somebody has to go.
And I'm afraid that person is...
Angillia.
OK.
You were brilliant.
Well done.
I've thoroughly enjoyed being in an
environment
with lots of people who enjoy and
share my passion for sewing.
That's been really wonderful.
It was really sad sending
Angillia home.
But she didn't finish.
Also, the Transformation Challenge,
she hadn't really transformed it.
We've got more sewers than we've
ever had before in the sewing room.
But I think we've got the most
exuberant, most exciting group
of sewers.
It's been a real buzz to be around
them.
I am so grateful that I'm here to
stay for another week
and I'm going to bring my A-game big
time to this.
I want to prove myself big time.
I haven't cried yet.
But I'm sure when I get back home
to my partner
there may be a few tears.
But, yeah, I'm just so happy
right now.
Next time...
Can I get a pina colada, please?
..our sewers are off
on holiday...
I'm thinking Barbados
rather than Brighton.
..packing pants for the Pattern...
Oh, God.
..towels for the Transformation...
Cute.
..and taking off on a tropical
Made-to-measure.
I almost feel like I'm looking
in the mirror.
Which sewer will sail to victory?
Too much boobage.
And who...
Oh, come on!
My hands are shaking so bad.
You've got this.
..will be on the first flight home?
Oops.
That didn't sound good, did it?
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06x01 - Episode 1
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Amateur sewers take on challenges as they compete to be named Britain's best home sewer.
Amateur sewers take on challenges as they compete to be named Britain's best home sewer.